Cobra took lessons from the troopers sent to Sierra Gordo disguised as mercenaries. Following the demise of that amateurish rabble at the hands (or rather machine gun) of Kwinn, Cobra opted to set up a more professional and well equipped team. This led to the establishment of the CUTLASS team - Cobra Unconventional Tactics/Asymmetric Specialist Scouts.

CUTLASS are a component of Cobra's Deep Operations Command. However, they operate at arm's length from Cobra itself as a mercenary team called CUTLASS International (Corporation for Utility Training, Liaison, Assistance & Special Security). As guns for hire, they operate alongside or on behalf of one guerrilla / government force or another, all the while secretly advancing Cobra's interests by setting conditions and collecting valuable intelligence.

The team itself is composed of Cobra soldiers with various operational backgrounds. While their "company" when contracted comes with its own specialised equipment, there is little in the way of outward signs of their real affiliation. When it's time to take action and turn the situation to Cobra's favour, however, their real fangs come out....

Apex was a Cobra Air Trooper, the small, brave/insane cadre of NCOs belonging to Cobra's air legions who operate the tactical jet packs in air attacks and scouting missions. An Australian from the Outback, he had a tendency to use his initiative in combat (and other) situations rather than straight up swarm tactics. An unimaginative superior saw this as 'going rogue' and he was transferred into a logistics position. Xenex, however, needed just such an independent operator for his team and put Apex to good use as the CUTLASS Team's eye-in-the-sky. His fearlessness, however, does nothing to dispel the Air Troopers' reputation as more than a little crazy.